Ben Bentil is giving Kris Dunn the sidekick he desperately needed at Providence

Kris Dunn had every reason to leave Providence for the NBA after last season. As a potential lottery pick, Dunn had the type of wealth and status so many young players dream about at his finger tips. As a 21-year-old who had already suffered two season-ending injuries since stepping on campus, he could have eliminated the risk of getting hurt again while spending another year in college.

Instead, Dunn made the surprising decision to return to school. There was just one problem: after losing leading scorer LaDontae Henton and starting center Carson Desrosiers to graduation, as well as talented underclassmen Tyler Harris and Paschal Chukwu to transfer, the team Dunn would return to wasn’t particularly inspiring. Even with the best player in America, most expected Providence to be in for a fight just make to the NCAA Tournament.

That’s why the rise of sophomore forward Ben Bentil in the first month of this season has been so vital for the Friars. Providence knocked off No. 11 Arizona and hung with No. 3 Michigan State last weekend in large part because Bentil has developed into the second option Ed Cooley’s team desperately needed.

Bentil went for 21 points in the Friars’ upset of Arizona on Friday, then finished with 20 points and seven rebounds against Michigan State on Sunday. He’s scored 18 points or more in five of his seven games this season, and he’s showing the type of versatile inside-out offensive game that’s a perfect complement next to Dunn.

Providence knew it was going to be light in the front court when Chukwu announced his decision to transfer. That pushed Bentil from the four to the five. He might be giving up some size at 6’9, 235 pounds, but he’s already showing he has the strength to hold his own in the post and a comfort scoring with his back to the basket.

When Bentil can establish deep post position, his turnaround right-handed hook shot has been money. As Dunn has battled foul trouble throughout the season, Bentil’s interior scoring has been essential to keep the Providence offense afloat.

Bentil has also developed a face-up jumper with range out to three that defenses have to respect. After making only nine threes last year, he’s already hit seven in his first seven games this season. He’s only making them at a 27 percent clip, but he has three games with multiple triples. Throw out his 0-for-5 shooting against Harvard in the season opener and he’s a 36 percent shooter from deep.

For a player like Dunn who only needs a sliver of space to get to the rim, the extra room Bentil’s shooting provides is essential for the offense. Opposing centers aren’t used to checking a player who shoots this confidently with range:

Bentil also isn’t afraid to put the ball on the deck. He’s a threat to drive off the catch, and has shown the balance and composure to knock down a shot off the dribble:

Providence had possessions to fill with the graduation of Henton, who led the Big East in scoring last season at nearly 20 points per night. Bentil showed flashes during a freshman season where he became entrenched as a starter by conference play, but the jump from averaging just over six points per game to 17 so far as a sophomore was precisely the type of development the Friars needed to put Dunn in position to reach the NCAA Tournament.

For Bentil, it’s been a long road to get here. He arrived in the United States from Ghana five years ago looking for a school rich in academics. He found St. Andrew’s in Delaware, where he also played varsity soccer. It was at St. Andrew’s that Bentil grew into a top 100 recruit while also shining in the classroom, putting up a 3.4 GPA. He had offers from UConn, Georgetown, Villanova and others, but eventually landed on Providence.

Now, Ed Cooley has a 1-2 punch that gives his team a chance. With Dunn controlling the game and Bentil establishing himself as a center who can stretch defenses out with a jumper or bully them in the post, the rest of Providence’s roster can fall into place. The Friars need Rodney Bullock to continue providing supplemental scoring and rebounding, freshman Ryan Fazekas to keep shooting 43 percent from three and sophomore Jalen Lindsey to get his offense going as a wing slasher.

For a young team, those roles are more easily defined when there’s a hierarchy at the top. Everyone knows Providence is Kris Dunn’s team. In Ben Bentil, he now has a sidekick who can help him maximize his final year in college basketball.